6 FUNDAMENTALS THAT CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER MANAGER IN 2014

When it comes to management,, I’ve always been a bigger believer in fundamentals than fancy.  Sure, there’s nothing at all wrong with, say, presentation skills that spellbind an audience of thousands, but when it comes to operational effectiveness, chances are that will be determined by how well you execute fundamentals day in and day out.  In that spirit, here are 6 fundamentals that can make you a better manager in 2014.

1. Be open to new ways of looking at things - The best managers are flexible, adaptable, and closely attuned to their environment.  They’re always looking for opportunities.  Be a good listener.  Many of the best process improvement ideas routinely come from employees in the trenches, as they’re the ones closest to the actual work.  Rigidity is the enemy of progress.  Don’t be afraid to shift the paradigm and move away from, “This is the way we’ve always done it here.”

 

2. Expect excellence – Set high but not unattainable standards and expect your employees to meet them.   The best managers are ultimately not those who are “toughest” or “nicest,” but those who get the best results from people in their charge.  Once your employees recognize you have unfailingly high standards, that’s key data they won’t forget.  If your employees know you demand excellence from yourself, they’re more likely to find it in themselves.

3. Make sure your employees know – clearly – where they need to focus -  Be sure your employees’ job objectives clearly reflect them. Well-conceived, measurable employee objectives are a manager’s best friend.   They move job performance from the realm of the subjective into – no surprise – the objective.   If created thoughtfully at the start of the year, objectives will be a valuable guide for both employee and manager as the year unfolds.

4. Protect your time as if it were gold – Time is an underrated but crucial management asset, essential to thoughtful decision making.   Managers are routinely pulled in too many directions.  The most effective executives I knew protected their schedules vigilantly.  They did what they needed to do, of course, but they prioritized well, delegated effectively, and left themselves with enough time to carefully think through what they most needed to.

5. Communicate regularly by providing meaningful feedback in real time – Effective communication may sound a little trite, but that’s because it‘s so fundamental to sound management.  Strong managers invariably are excellent communicators.  Providing ample feedback – both positive and negative – is a core skill.  Make yourself readily available to those you manage.  Be there, be present, be accessible.  Even if you’re managing remotely, you’re still easily reachable by phone, email, text, etc.  Better to be physically remote and easy to communicate with… than to be physically nearby but a distant communicator.

6. Don’t duck conflict, but deal with it directly and fairly – As any manager knows, the workplace environment is a fertile breeding ground for conflict.  Interpersonal issues, compensation, recognition, cost-cutting, layoffs, management-employee relations… there’s never a shortage of emotionally charged issues that can lead to conflict.  As much as it’s often tempting to look the other way, the best managers aren’t “conflict avoiders” – they address problems quickly and fairly.  Employees are keen observers; they note who takes action when needed and who doesn’t.  They respect managers who confront difficult situations, just as they’ll lose respect for those who chronically avoid them

Assembly Elections 2013 Results

In elections seen as a semifinal before the 2014 Lok Sabha battle, the BJP retained Madhya Pradesh and ousted the Congress in Rajasthan. The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) stunning show in Delhi pushed the Congress to a humiliating third spot, with the BJP looking set to take power despite lacking a clear majority.

The Congress and the BJP were in a cliffhanger neck and neck race in Chhattisgarh.

World Has Lost a Great Man in Nelson Mandela.

Today is an extremely sad day. Nelson Mandela, one of most courageous leaders, has passed away. South Africa –indeed, the whole world – is saying goodbye to a great human being and an incredible inspiration.

I am among the millions around the world who feel a deep sense of loss. The fact that Mr. Mandela lived to the age of 95 does not diminish in any way our feeling of immense grief; nor does the fact that his health has been frail for a while now, severely limiting his public engagements.

By the force of his amazing personality, his incredible achievements, his sweeping vision, his enormous generosity and his admirable values, Mr. Mandela’s presence served -- and will continue to serve -- as a beacon for all those who believed in the power of political good eventually overcoming divisive evil.

 The spirit, commitment and humility that drove him as an activist, freedom fighter, unifier and nation builder. The inner strength and values that sustained him during 27 years of imprisonment under apartheid. He set, not only for developing countries navigating complex political transitions but also for advanced countries marred in a quagmire of anemic growth, high unemployment, and rising inequalities of income, wealth and opportunities.

There will be lots of reminders in the next few weeks of Mr. Mandela’s historic successes. We should, and we will collectively celebrate not just what he achieved, but also how and why he achieved it.

Many will also fret about South Africa’s future now that the country has lost the moral compass that Mr. Mandela provided. And some will associate his passing with today’s more generalized malaise about political leadership around the world.

Thank you very much Nelson Mandela – for all the good that you delivered to so many, and for all those that you helped, both in South Africa and well beyond. We are deeply indebted to you and, already, we miss you enormously. We will never forget you.

The First day in SIBM Bangalore

“The First Day” these words have lot of meaning in our life. This gives us motivation, a new chance & a new determination to succeed in life. The First Day in whichever field or occasion can be a beginning of new life.

 After I got appointment letter from SIBM college, I was indeed excited, little bit nervous as it would be first time I would stay in hostel but more than my nervousness I was determined to give my 100% to whatever I do  be it studies, be extra-curricular  activities or anything else. My first day in the Bangalore City was fascinating experience as I travelled to places like Forum Mall, MG Road, & White Field etc. and marvelled the beauty of the city.   

 I still remember my first at SIBM Bangalore College. I instantaneously fell in love of the campus of SIBM Bangalore. My seniors & teachers helped me in locating the places in the campus. The first lecture in SIBM was the guest lecture.  I loved the lecture & never got bored of it as teaching method was new. It was a great experience for me as there was so much to learn from it.

How can I forget my friends? Everyone introduced to each other & in the formal way & all of us was eager to know about each other. The OBL event organised by our college was altogether a different experience. Each one of us was given a task which was to be done in groups. It was a beautiful experience as each one of us interacted with each other & it helped us to know better of one other.

I would like to end by sayings “Take a limitation and turn it into an opportunity. Take an opportunity and turn it into an adventure by dreaming BIG! ”

SymSpeak....Express Yourself !!!: Marketing strategy of Apple in India

Marketing Strategy of Apple in India

Apple Company is famous worldwide. The number of products launched by Apple is famous & popular worldwide. Apple has become famous and popular due to its innovative products and out of box thinking.  Most of the products of Apple especially I Phone, I Pad, Apple Laptop,  I Pod are mostly sold in developed countries especially in USA, Europe, Australia, Japan  as compared to developing countries like India, Sri Lanka etc. The reason for comparatively less sales in developing countries would be pricing of the product, competitors selling similar product at low price for example Samsung, HTC. Also quality of the Apple product sold in USA is far superior in quality than that of   product sold in India.

 This can be rectified by improving upon 4Ps:

·        Pricing– Pricing is the most important factor in Marketing. Apple Co. should reduce its price especially in developing countries as people in developing countries especially in India are price conscious. The price of I Phone 5 is Rs 35000 which is expensive. Me too products of other brands are much cheaper.

·        Packaging- The packaging of the products should be attractive as Indian people get attracted towards the product through packaging.

·        Place- Apple Co. should open its exclusive showrooms in Urban & Semi Urban Areas like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore etc. This will give the brand much needed visibility like Samsung and Nokia. This should be supplemented by making products available in leading MBOs.  Its supply chain should be good.  Should ensure availability of all products, all the time, everywhere.

·        Promotion- Apple Co. should promote its product more vigorously like Samsung has done through social media. It should use its famous out of box thinking while advertising and promoting the products.

Apple Company also needs to do SWOT Analysis before launching any product into the market. Before launching the product they should do thorough study about target audience, market size etc. to study the viability.

·        Strength- The strength of the Apple Company is its brand name & the confidence of the consumers on its products. Most of the products of Apple have been successful in the market due to its innovative features.

·        Weakness- The weakness of the apple products is its price which is quite expensive.  Just extrapolation of their pricing in developed world will not help. The competitors like HTC, Samsung are giving tough competition to Apple by providing similar products at lower price.

·        Opportunities- Apple can try for new products which would be innovative & would attract the customers towards them. They can lower the price of their products which would add competitive advantage over their competitors. Special products can be launched taking needs and aspiration of Indian mind into consideration.

·        Threats- Too many cheaper brands ready to ape features of Apple products.

With proper marketing strategy which is derived from needs and aspirations of Indian target audience, Apple will surely be able to tale others head on.

Sachin Tendulkar , the great batsman ever in the international cricket has taken retirement from ODI Format. It was the emotional moment for him & Indian people. He had taken the decision in 72 hours after Nagpur Test against England. We will miss him dearly....

India faces ban from Olympics

Barely months after India came up with its best performance by winning 6 medals in the Olympics Games, the country was slapped with the notice by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday. This was due to a fallout of the international wrangling for the power in the Indian Olympic Association has put question mark over the future of Olympic sports in India. India could be barred from attending the Olympics. Indian athletes will not be allowed to compete under Tricolor but could be permitted to compete under IOC flag. The decision was taken at the IOC's executive board meeting which is being held in Laussanne, Switzerland.